


Hot Sauce

by InsominiacArrest



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Human, Diners, F/F, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 01:57:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9577100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsominiacArrest/pseuds/InsominiacArrest
Summary: The strange girl at the corner booth asks to borrow Ruby's hot sauce every day, she's not sure what to make of the arrangement but she knows she's cute and wants to talk (eventually)The diner and bodyguard AU





	1. As Advertised

Admittedly, there weren’t that many hot sauce’s in the joint, maybe three total if you don't count the empty ones. It was a breakfast restaurant and it’s main customers were people who had to take their dentures to eat.

To be fair, Ruby wasn’t entirely sure how Teddy didn't shut down in the first place. Sure, she was her friend and ex-coworker, but there were only so many condiments you could have in short supply.

The place was dim, like a shady hookah bar in a flea market rather than a diner, and unless it was summer it was uncomfortably cool in the middle of the day in the shadow of skyscrapers. Some of the white-green tiles were chipped and more of the blinds were bent than they were whole. It smelled like syrup and coffee most days- which was a big redeemer in Ruby’s mind.

There was a long bar, five booths against the wall and jukebox box in the corner that they kept eternally unplugged.

It was muggy in the mid-morning heat, the New York breakfast joint had three other patrons beside Ruby, one might have fallen asleep at the moment and Mrs. Jenkins was feeding scraps of toast to her big malamute on the floor (they weren’t picky enough to kick pets out at that point).

Ruby poured over that morning's newspaper. “Come on,” She took a thick black sharpie and circled ‘private errands’ at the top of the ‘Job Listings.’ “Erg.”  
  
Teddy was cleaning a coffee mug in front of her, “Why don’t you just ask your cousins for help?” She asks as she usually did when Ruby’s eyes started to blur looking at the ‘Help Wanted’ section.

Ruby slumped down and scowled, “They won’t talk to me after I left the firm.” She circles another listing for a driver. She could drive, sort of. “Except Navy,” She says thoughtfully, “Who just pictures of animals with ‘cute, right??’ and girls.” She frowns, “And sometimes Leggy, but that’s just ‘cause she’s texting the wrong number.”  
  
Teddy shakes her head and pushes up a wilting flower in the vase on the counter. The place was falling apart but her ex-coworker still found time to bring in cut flowers every morning. She didn’t know why.

“At least they _might_ return your calls, they won’t even send me christmas cards after ten years of working for them.” She sounded bitter, her face scrunching up.

Ruby feels a pang of guilt and looks away, mumbling something like ‘it’s for the best’ under her breath or something just as useless as that.

“Besides,” Ruby perks up, “I think this is our year.” She grinned and Teddy gave a tentative smile.

“If you keep saying that, I guess will have to be true eventually.” She wipes off the stained table top and Ruby nods, Teddy goes to knock the coffee machine into working.

“Hey, look at this way-” Ruby calls over and then pauses mid-sentence. She feels the eye on her.

“What?” Teddy asks curiously as she knocks the filter into place.

‘Ssshh,’ Ruby makes a silent ‘ssshh’ gesture and stays very still.

“Excuse me,” Ruby straightens up as much as she can as The Voice greets her, Ruby turns around slowly. She is greeted with the scent of something chilled, like mint or mountains or meat lockers.

Ruby blinks, the woman gives a pleasant smile, “Can I borrow your hot sauce?” Ruby’s shoulders square and she just gapes at her for another moment, as she always does. The woman flattens down her already smooth skirt, “If it’s not too much trouble.”  
  
Ruby finally fumbles for the hot sauce in front of her, “Of course.”   
  
She gives her the Cholula, the only respectable hot sauce, and place it in her gloved hand, she nods her head, “Thank you.”   
  
“Of course.” She repeats again as if she was figuring out if the English language was real.

The woman smiles with the evenness of a completed puzzle, “Have a nice day Ruby.”  
  
Ruby watches her head back to her corner booth with the air of an enigma wrapped in a cryptid. Maybe she was a cryptid.

They silently watch her sit back down on the sagging booth, the adjusts her napkin and then puts the hot sauce down. She does not put it on her pancakes and sausage. Ruby can’t tear her eyes away for another full two minutes. She just sits there.

“What is that? The seventh time?” Teddy whispers at her as they put their heads together.

Ruby nervously rubs her upper lip and glances behind her shoulder, the business woman sat in the corner placidly, still not using the hot sauce.

“Eighth,” She says in a hush, “Do you think she has a job? She always dresses like...that. But she’s here at 11 every day”

“She tips 25%.” Teddy says factually, if not fondly.

She probably had a job. She wore business jackets with all of their buttons, little blue pumps with straps and carried a purse that had be a tasteful name brand. On top of the work attire though she was always in puffy skirts with lace and volume, feminine, little gloves, loose soft hair. Ruby couldn’t help but think ‘princess’ at the sight of her.  

Ruby rubbed her hands together when there was nothing else to do, “Do you think she’s here from the firm?”  
  
Teddy hums, “We can’t be sure.” She concludes with a nod, “But I don’t think someone from the firm would be so,” she narrows her eyes and gestures at her stiff posture and little gloves, “Weird.”   
  
Ruby blows air out her nose and sits up straight, “She’s not weird.” She defends, “She’s…” She fidgets, _she’s a vision_. “A customer.” Ruby says instead, “You can’t blame her for maybe, one day, wanting to use the hot sauce she asks for.”   
  
Teddy shrugs and goes to refill her three customers coffee mugs, “Keep your eyes on the paper Ruby. You can’t sit in my diner forever.” She says wryly and Ruby sighs and turns back to the ‘Help Wanted’ section.

  
She feels the presence of the princess-business-lady-hot-sauce-hater behind her, her skin prickles like a heat wave but there’s nothing else to do but go over her interview skills in her head.


	2. Lips Like Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna publish this in parts, and then was like 'nah' since it was already written, so here it is all at once!
> 
> warning for minor violence

Ruby sat at her usual red-sparkly bar stool a week later, she groans to get Teddy’s attention, holds her left eye, and then groans again.

“Teeeddy,” She whines and drops her head down onto the counter, “Teeeddy.”  
  
The restaurant owner returns from the back area, “Here you go you big baby.” She slides Ruby a frozen package of peas and Ruby puts it over her right eye with a sigh of relief. “I told you not to take that private security gig.” She chastises lightly.

There were four customers in ‘The Hot Griddle’ diner that morning, two arguing passionately about the new administration and one was doing to crosswords with deep concentration.

Ruby shook her head and smushed the peas deeper into her eye, “It’s what I do Ted’. It’s, you know, what I know. Trained in.”  
  
Teddy sighs, “Me too, but I hung up the fists for a family diner Rubes- you could too.”  
  
Ruby put her elbows on the counter and leans forward, “I could be the bouncer for this place.”  
  
Teddy laughs roughly, “And kick out all the ‘rowdy’ 60-year-olds?”  
  
Ruby snickers, “I’ll put the hurt on them with my early bird ‘special’.” She holds up a fist jokingly.  
  
Teddy was cackling now and seemed like she needed a laugh anyway.

They were laughing with Ruby’s face going numb in the muggy diner air when she feels a light tap on her shoulder, “Sorry to disturb you” Ruby’s heart ricochets like a stray bullet, “But could I borrow your hot sauce?”  
  
Ruby always had scrambled eggs with hot sauce and toast every morning, Teddy made it for her before she even showed up.

Ruby’s hand slips and the frozen peas fall down onto the floor, she turns with her usual creaking smile, “Of course.”  
  
She hears the woman gasp gently, “You’re eye.”  
  
Ruby goes to cover her black eye again, “I just,” She clears her throat and lowers her voice, hoping to put a gravelly tone. “I just got into a scrape miss.”  
  
Her eyes go large, Ruby notes the very glossy blue one. “Oh. It’s Sapphire.”  
  
Ruby’s eyes go wide, “Huh?”  
  
The woman nods, “I’m Sapphire. Sorry, I forgot I hadn’t mentioned that.”  
  
Ruby blushed, Sapphire _was_ a vision. “It’s no problem.” She tries to grin, “What’s a name or two between hot-sauce sharers?”  
  
Sapphire grins with a hand over her mouth, “Would you like some aspirin? I have some in my purse.”  
  
Ruby shifts from side to side, “I mean,” Sapphire looks at her steadily, she gives in. “If it’s not any trouble.” She’s not sure if she needs any, but how could she say no to the that?

Teddy gives her A Look when Sapphire goes back to her table. Ruby frowns deeply at Teddy’s look, “She’s just getting me aspirin.”  
  
Teddy’s face doesn’t change. “Uh-huh.”  
  
“Really.” She replies indignantly.

She was still half-smiling, “I’m going to go hit the coffee maker.”  
  
Ruby sighs and is left alone while Sapphire returns on her careful clicking heels. “Would you like two or one?” She shakes the bottle, “That looks like it hurts. How about two?” She says before Ruby can reply.

Ruby was blushing more than ever from the attention, “It’s really nothing. I’m,” She puffs her chest out, “Tough, ya’ know?”  
  
Sapphire gives that tinkling laugh, “I’m sure you are.”  
  
This was going to be the end of me.

Sapphire lets her take her two aspirin and looks her over. “Did it happen recently?”  
  
Ruby bites her lip, “Last night. Just a regular…uh, thing.”  
  
Sapphire’s eyes go wide, “Huh. I’m sure you win lots of them then.” Ruby wasn’t even sure what flirting was anymore.

She shrugs, “It’s my job, or,” She hums, “A one time one. With a few hiccups, nothing I couldn’t handle.” She says disjointedly with her left arm flexing.

Sapphire smiles, “Well, I hope you feel better.” She turns to leave and Ruby dopily watches her turn away before jumping to her feet.

“Wait!” She puts her hand out and reaches for the hot sauce like it’s a matter of life or death, Sapphire turns around and blinks, Ruby scurries up to her, “Your hot sauce.” She finally says shyly and Sapphire looks delighted.

“Of course.” She returns and Ruby holds her breath.

Their hands touch ever so briefly and Ruby’s mind races like a little black and white film where your life flashes before your eyes and they get married at the end. She was in over her head.

Sapphire returns to her seat and finishes her pancakes with her untouched hot sauce on the side.

Ruby sighs dreamily and goes to bonelessly sit back down in front of her eggs, Teddy gives her another sly appraisal.

Ruby puts the peas back over her bad eye, “Oh, knock it off. She’s just nice.” She pouts.

Teddy leans forward, “Uh-huh.”

Ruby turns away and tries to think of something to say to Sapphire next time. ‘You look like an ice queen my dreams’ might be coming onto strong, even if that’s all she could think.

————

Sapphire doesn’t show up the next five days and Ruby does two errand-jobs to scrape enough money together for her rent.

It’s not entirely enough (eating would also be a nice bonus), but she’s getting more concerned about the corner booth being unoccupied.

Ruby has no choice but sit restlessly in her normal chair and ignore her hot-sauce eggs and toast.

“How’s the search?” Teddy finally asks as she sees Ruby with her usual New York Times out.

Ruby shakes her head and keeps eyes turned downward, “What’s a five-letter for cold rain?” She asks evenly and she can feel Teddy pouring her more coffee.

“Ah, I see, it’s one of those days.”  
  
Ruby hunches over, “There’s not even a tutoring gig in the paper right now.”

  
Teddy leans on the counter in front of her, “What would you even tutor in?”  
  
Ruby looks away, “Not the point.” She huffs and looks up, “Do you know the capital of Ghana? It’s five letters.”

Teddy rolls her eyes, “How the hell would I know? I think my teachers thought I was a narcoleptic in school I slept so much in class.”

Ruby scowls and snaps at her about geography, they argue lightly with the New York sky gathering clouds a little ways above them.

Teddy was leaving to go serve table two, “You sure are in a bad mood this morning.” She says as Ruby was almost getting red in the face arguing about the merits of knowing where Switzerland was.

Ruby folds her arms across her chest and grumbles something that might have been an insult.  
  
Teddy goes to leave, “Is this about the girl?”  
  
“No-” The bell on the front door rings and Ruby practically snaps her neck turning toward the noise, she could hear Teddy rolling her eyes behind her.

Ruby shouldn’t start smiling at that point, but Sapphire was standing in the door with a little white umbrella above her head and her usual little footsteps.

Teddy approaches, “What’ll it be? Pancakes? Waffles this morning?”  
  
Sapphire tilts her head and Ruby wants to take a snapshot of that very movement, “I think french toast today. With bacon.”  
  
Teddy nods quickly and Ruby watches Sapphire settle herself in. Ruby remembers the six letter word for missing. Sleet.

Ruby bounces up and down and waits for the moment.

Teddy gets the meals from the back (their reclusive chef was quicker than a rabbit, but only half as good).

Ruby tries to think of the six letter word for ‘little steps.’

She’s finally emerged again when she feels the polite tap on her shoulder again, Ruby turns quickly, reaching for the hot sauce.

“Hello,” she takes the initiative, Sapphire nods, “Um, sauce?”  
  
Sapphire grins and reaches for it, “Yes. Thank you.” Sapphire leans over the counter, “The word

“The word is minces.”  
  
Ruby blinks, “minces?”  
  
Sapphire taps her finger down, “For 29 down, little steps.”  
  
Ruby bites her lip slightly and glances around, “You’re very…good. Smart.” It was a step.

Sapphire holds the hot sauce in both hands, “Could I ask you a favor?”  
  


Ruby sits up straight and snaps to attention, after ten conversations this had never happened. “Of course.” She curses herself for saying it again.

Sapphire gives her the smile like freshly fallen snow when the sun is out, “Do you want to sit at my booth? I promise it could be just as comfortable.”  
  
Ruby practically vibrates, “I um, yes. Good. Sounds good.”  
  
Ruby fumbles after her and Sapphire seems to hold herself a little too still. Ruby wishes she could relax her high shoulders and stiff back. She shakes the thought out of her head.

Sapphire scoots into her seat and they look at each other quietly as Ruby sits across from her, Ruby feels a familiar shyness overcoming her.

“Do you like hot sauce?” She finally asks it.

Sapphire gives her little laugh, “Not as much as I’ve let on.”  
  
Ruby grins, “Figured.” She fiddles with her fingers, “I don’t mind though. Giving it to you.” This harder than she thought. Her tongue was so heavy in her mouth and Sapphire’s gaze was unwavering.

  
“I’ll admit..” She looks around, “I like syrup more.”  
  
“Sure! It’s sweet!” Ruby crows and Sapphire’s mouth falls into her surprised smile again.

“Yes it is.” She cuts up more of her french toast and studies Ruby. “I hear you do security services.”  
  
Ruby’s heart falls a little, business. “I do private contracts now.” She clarifies, “I don’t work for anyone else… if that’s what you’re asking.” She remembers the question of whether Sapphire was from The Firm. Maybe Ruby should be more careful.

“No, no,” Sapphire says quickly and shakes her head, “Nothing like that.”  
  
Ruby gives a half-smile, “How can I help you then?” She tries to ask as friendly as possible.

Sapphire keeps her face flat, “I was hoping I could make us of your services.”  
  
Ruby raises herself up fully, eyes wide and smiling, “Yeah?” This sounded like two birds with one stone.

Sapphire nods ever so slightly, “You see, I am a diplomatic consultant.”  
  
“Oh!” Ruby says with feeling, “I thought you might do something fancy.”  
  
Sapphire gives a little chuckle, “Something fancy, yes.”  
  
Ruby leans forward, “Can I help you, Sapphire?” Her name tasted like springtime in her mouth.

Sapphire tapped her fingers on the table, “It won’t be safe.” She says with a frown, “I recently gave some advice that the client didn’t agree with and then turned out poorly. Lost a lot of money.” She bent her head, “They are looking for someone to hurt.”  
  
That sent a fire in Ruby’s veins like no other, “I’ll stop them!” The two other patrons in the restaurant turn their heads toward her loud outburst. Ruby bends her head down and says more quietly, “I’ll pummel them.”

Sapphire looks slowly and then softly surprised, her mouth making the smallest of round ‘O’s on her face, “I um,” Sapphire touches her hair, smoothing it out with a small noise, “I could use someone to drive me around and escort me to a few events this week.”  
  
Ruby nods quickly and leans forward, “I’d love to.” She almost offers to do it for free.

“Great,” Sapphire smiles widely, “I had a hope this would work out.” She takes something from her purse. “Her is my number.”  
  
Ruby didn’t know why a business deal was making her feel like a sideways picture but she takes the number with clumsy fingers and types it into her phone immediately.

Sapphire seems to watch her with approval and then puts some Cholula on her bacon. She makes a face when she bites into it and Ruby can’t help but laugh.

She makes a list of ways to protect Sapphire after this.

—————–

Ruby’s cousin Navy doubled texted her three times about her ‘date’ that night. Ruby kept telling her it was a job, not a date.

Navy sent her ‘Cosmo’s Hottest Ten Tips for Cleaning Yourself Up.’ Ruby only glances at it briefly. And then maybe a lot.

Navy technically wasn’t even supposed to be contacting her after Ruby’s break with the company, but not all of the employees were as disciplined (or as bright) as they would like them to be.

Ruby wore a bowtie, her sharpest shows and texted Navy to mind her own business. Unless Ruby sent the ‘SOS’ message in which case she should send her the best lines she can think of.

Navy’s first one was ‘are you a complete puzzle? Because I’d like to take you apart.’ Ruby nearly erases her number.

She’s taking deep breaths and gathering her taser, brass knuckles and other precautions before she leaves early. Very early.

She gets to Sapphire’s house on the bus and arrives before it’s even dark out.

She spends ten minutes standing in front of Sapphire’s door and scuffing her heels against the fine apartment carpet before knocking.

“Hello,” She says weakly and waits. “I’m here.”  
  
She hears immediate movement and the lock clicking, Sapphire sticks her head out, “You’re early.”

Ruby’s mouth falls open, “Sorry.”  
  
“No, no,” She looks away, “I thought that would be the case.” She touches her hair, “it’s good.”  
  
Ruby puffs out her chest, “I am always prepared. Security like me is prompt.”  
  
Sapphire wrinkles her little nose with a smile, “Come in. I was just getting ready.” Ruby gulps and walks into the apartment.

The place nice. She almost didn’t want to touch anything with its thick carpets and real drapes.

She stands uselessly in the middle of the living room and Sapphire gestures for her to sit down while Sapphire got ready.

Ruby’s thoughts were stalling in her brain like a gritty car engine.

  
She waits and counts the number of decorations in the apartment. 11 butterflies, 3 unicorn statues, two picture frames with landscape art that probably meant something and 2 little adorable tea cozy’s on the coffee room table.

Ruby was feeling heady with something sweet in the air (or maybe that was just in Ruby’s mind).

Sapphire was ready in a decent amount of time, though it did remind Ruby of her great aunt who never left the house with two hours of prep- she was fond of that aunt though.

Sapphire stood in the doorway with a dark blue evening dress, long skirt flared out from her hips and meeting the floor, her high collar with embroidered edges in swirling patterns led to a dangerously dipping neckline. It reached down through the center of her body and almost to her navel, a line of sunny brown skin that tugged Ruby’s eyes down and down.

She stood up quickly, she felt like a teenage boy in one of those Prom Scenes in movies, “You look good.”

Sapphire looks slightly bashful and beams at her, “I like your suit as well.”  
  
Ruby stands up straight, “It’s just for the job.”  
  
Sapphire walks up and adjusts her bowtie, “I see.”  
  
They stand there every so long, a little too long and Ruby feels the heat of Sapphire’s hands on her neck.

She clears her throat, “Should I be worried about anything tonight?”

Sapphire frowns and looks down, “They are dangerous people.” She touches her right eye, glossy and blue as daylight, “I know.”  
  
Ruby nods solemnly and grabs her petite hands, “You’re safe with me.”  
  
Sapphire bows head slightly, “Yes. I feel safe.”  
  
The light buzz in the air is tangible, they manage to untangle themselves and maybe their unsaid words and go out the door.

Ruby drives her to the event with a steady flow of conversation, Ruby wanted to keep it impersonal but ends up telling her a story about how their other ex-coworker Luce ate too much cheesecake and hurled on their first client.

Sapphire was laughing and holding her sides, Ruby might have just then peaked her top ten moments of a lifetime right then.

They arrive just on time and Sapphire takes a moment to gather her hair and reapply her lipstick, Ruby Does Not Watch her parted lips and deep blushing curve of her mouth. She Does Not.

She helps Sapphire out the door and the evening goes by surprisingly as Ruby might expect. They go in the door, mingle with business owners and dignitaries, people who had used Sapphires consulting purposes and people who didn’t.

Woman compliment Sapphire, men flirt with her with their hands touching her shoulder lightly and guiding her by the small of her back. Ruby imagines biting their fingers off. Sapphire politely engages with all of them and politely declines most of their advances.

Ruby is left largely alone, a shadow in the background in a black suit, just as she liked it.

Sapphire eats with her hands delicately poised and wrist bent, she talks lowly and people hand her their business cards and she hands hers back.

It was something rather uneventful in her mind.

Ruby feels ten O’clock tick closer and remembers that’s when Sapphire said to fetch her with some excuse.

Ruby is analyzing her pile of pale hair on her head, meticulously gathered upward tonight but seeming strangely out of place with her usual soft, loose locks. Ruby is thinking about every inch of it when she feels a hard shove to her shoulder.

“Watch it,” she staggers backward as a waiter runs headlong into her.

He turns to her angrily, “You watch it.” He was a young boy, barely out of his teens, and his outfit looked disheveled.

“I’m the guest here.” She barks back, her temper already rising.

He leans forward and gets in her face, “Are you on the guest list?”  
  
Ruby huffs, “No. Doesn’t make me any less of a guest.”  
  
He puts his hand in the air, “Oh great, another entitled-”  
  
Ruby is arguing with him when she feels a sudden sensation of cold in her spine, she realizes her back was turned.

Her eyes go wide and she turns around so quickly she almost falls over, she scans the crowd to spot Sapphire. There was no dark blue dress.

She turns to the waiter, he was leaving, “Who are you?” She yells at him and he disappears in a hurry.

Ruby’s heart was in her throat, she starts running through the crowd, jostling past people and calling Sapphire’s name. Someone says she had left with a woman in a white jacket out the side door.

Ruby’s blood pressure rises and she sprints outside. She had been played.

Ruby was cursing everything about herself and then maybe about other versions of herself.

“Dumb, dumb, dumb,” Her lungs were burning in the sweetly hot New York air and turns toward the nearest alley and runs. It’s dark and stank slightly of tar and something rotting.

She gets down another winding backstreet when she can finally catches on to a noise, voices like sharp knives. She pumps her legs toward the source and makes a sudden battle cry.

“Maybe you should revise your business,” An oil-slick voice was talking, “Though I suppose we’re about to revise it for you.”  
  
Ruby bursts onto the scene with a tall gaunt figure in a pointed white jacket holding a crowbar, high cheek bones against a slanted face glance at her, two other figures hold Sapphire’s hands behind her back.

They all blink as Ruby balls up her fists, the figure in white blinks, “Who is-”  
  
“No talking.” Ruby didn’t have time for that, her blood boiled like red hellfire and she punched the figure in the face before anything, White Jacket falls.

One of the thugs behind her grabs her around the neck and yanks back, she elbows him immediately in the gut and turns around and socks him angrily in the jaw. He stumbles backward but slashes at her with a knife, nicking her in the cheek before she runs forward and knees him in the gut. She watches the wind leave his lungs as he hits the pavement.

White Jacket tried to stumble up again and growl at her, but Ruby is faster, she gives her a bone-shatteringly kick to the knee with her pointed black shoe and watches her crumble with a brief cry.

“Ah!” Ruby turns to the last creep whose face was screwed up in pain, Sapphire had apparently stomped on his foot.

“Ruby!” She calls and Ruby leaps forward and gives the last criminal a black eye. Sapphire grabs her hand and pulls. “Ruby.”

Ruby looks her over and pants, “Are you okay?”  
  
Sapphire reaches for the deep slash in her cheek, “Are you?”  
  
Ruby nods, “We have to go.”  
  
Before any more of the thugs can stand back up, Sapphire is running with her toward the street and safety of the light.

Ruby pushes her in the backseat and locks the door with her lungs still yelling and heart pounding. She practically falls on top of Sapphire as she grabs at her.

“Did they hurt you?”  
  
Sapphire was shaking, “No, no, they were just threatening me at that point.”  
  
Ruby feels like wrapping the small woman in her arms, “Thank God.”

Sapphire touches her bloody cheek again, “We need to get you home.”  
  
Ruby shakes her head and almost felt like crying, “Do you want to go to the police?”  
  
Sapphire looks down to her lap, “I haven’t seen that not turning out well.” She says as if she knows and Ruby nods reluctantly. She’d follow her anywhere at that moment.

Ruby drives them home in a silence like a thick humidity, the feeling of havoc still in the air.

They get out of the car and the quiet of the night unnerves her, normal, orderly. Sapphire leads her back up her stairs and keeps touching her loose strands of hair mechanically.

They get back into the room and Sapphire sits Ruby on the couch.

“That was very brave.” She says solemnly as she stands in the kitchen.

Ruby has to call after her, a little darkly, “I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight.”  
  
Sapphire doesn’t answer until she comes back with a long bandage and a wet cloth in hand.

“They were determined. There was no avoiding it.” She says in a monotone and Ruby shakes her head.

  
“You were paying me.” She looks down at her lap and feels hot tears prick her eyes from embarrassment, “you could have got hurt.”

Sapphire sits down carefully next to her, Ruby feels a cool rag touch her cheek, she jumps at the contact.

“It was everything.” She whispers with her voice a mere suggestion than a sound.

Ruby blinks and bends her neck, “No. I am sorry.” She repeats it again.  
  
Sapphire shakes her head and cleans the wound, meticulously going over it, drying it and spreading the thick bandage over her cheek, Ruby whines ever so slightly.

“You don’t have to be nice to me.” Ruby finally blurts out, the guilt rising like bile.

Sapphire seems to consider her silently, her head tilted. She bends down and picks up Ruby’s right hand, still banged up from the fight, she raises it carefully to her lips and presses a kiss into her bruised knuckles, Ruby holds her breath.

Sapphire glances up again, “I don’t really like hot sauce you know.”  
  


Ruby makes a face at her, “Huh?”  
  
To her amazement, Sapphire reaches up and kisses her on the cheek, the slashed one. Ruby shudders and lets her.

“It was very brave.” Sapphire repeats close to her ear and Ruby has to give her just a small smile. “I appreciate it.”  
  
Ruby just hunches over and blushes, “Okay.”  
  
“Okay.” There is an electricity in the air like a thunderstorm, but Ruby turns her face away soon, “I should go.”

They part with a slow tension, exchanging thanks and promises and plans to contact at least someone to go after the group threatening Sapphire. 

Ruby feels like taking her in her arms. For just a little bit.

Instead, she turns around and waves at her, promising to do better if there was a next time.

———–

Ruby finishes out the week with Sapphire, trying to pretend everything was normal, casual, not a huge screw up as she almost got the other woman hurt.

She finishes the week and stops going to The Hot Griddle every morning. Instead switching it to the afternoon, and always checking for who is in the corner booth before she slips in.

  
Her phone starts ringing with a little ID of ‘Sapphire’ in front of it. She can’t bring herself to answer.

Teddy scolds her every time Ruby arrives, and Ruby might have stopped going altogether if Teddy didn’t feed her regularly.

“She’s asking after you.” Teddy says with an impatience in her agitated voice.

Ruby keeps her head down, “Who?”  
  
“You know who.”  
  
Ruby turns her face away, “That’s interesting.”  
  
Teddy puts down a coffee mug a little too hard, “As your friend. I swear to my mother’s spit grave, if you don’t start talking to her-”  
  
Ruby hunches down even further, “I have things to do. Someone finally hired me to tutor a kid in history.”  
  
“Do you even know history? Waiting, no, nevermind, off track. She looks like a sad puppy every time she comes in now, like a sad pedigree puppy whose puppy chow got downgraded to Purina.”  
  
Ruby rolls her eyes, “Stuff happened between us. Just drop it.”  
  
Teddy shakes her head. “You are going to be the death of me.”  
  
Ruby tries to read the paper and then leaves early, the hot sauce was sitting sideways in the far booth and Ruby felt her shoulders sagging

————–

Ruby gave in when she got the 12th text. It just said, ‘I have something for you. It’s important.’

Ruby sighs and keeps trying to ignore it. She had failed Sapphire, she had failed them both and she really couldn’t face her after that. Sapphire deserved better.

But what if it was really important? What if it was urgent?

She texts back to Sapphire at one in the morning on a monday after a very long night of not sleeping. ‘Okay.’ She writes, ‘Where do you want to meet?’

Sapphire texted back immediately: ‘do you remember my apartment? Do you think you could come over?’

Ruby frowned deeply and wanted to leave it unanswered, leave this whole confused mess behind them. She tips-taps on the keyboard anyway, “okay.’

They set up a time at 4 O’clock the next day and Ruby can’t sleep at all for the rest of the night.

—————-

She just wore her ratty red shorts and a band t-shirt from a group she didn’t even remember anymore. It had a hole in the neck and her tennis shoes looked like shoeboxes against the fine apartment carpet, she knocks on the door weakly when she arrives.

Sapphire once more answers right away, she was wearing a white sundress with a flawless bow in the front and little hands were out of their gloves. She steps aside.

“Please. Come in.”  
  
Ruby sighs and makes her way in she sits down only on Sapphire’s urging.

Ruby sits on the couch, “I am glad to see you’re doing well.” She says it as if she is reading from a script, poorly.

Sapphire was tapping her fingers together in front of her, “I am happier that you are doing well.”  
  
Ruby bites back her tongue, honestly, she wasn’t doing that well.

Sapphire turns around, “Please, wait here, I really do have something for you.”  
  


Ruby nods and looks away, “You really didn’t need to do that. My services don’t warrant…you know. Tips.”  
  
Sapphire comes back within a few moments and sits down boldly next to her, slamming a Cholula bottle down on the coffee table in front of them.

Sapphire turns to her, “You really don’t remember do you?”  
  
Ruby blinks slowly and then looks back at the bottle, “You got me hot sauce.”  
  


Sapphire grabs Ruby’s head and lightly turns it back to look Sapphire in the face, “I promised I would meet you again.”  
  
Ruby was now really squinting her eyes, “What?”  
  
Sapphire’s mouth became a hard line, “You got fired from your last job.”  
  
“With the firm, yeah.” Ruby says in confusion, trying to remember when she told Sapphire this.

“You got fired because you convinced your unit to ignore security orders and not allow the unit to take out a radical political group. There were bystanders there.  
  
“Um, yes?” Ruby was scratching her head now, “It was pretty complicated. But I don’t kill people or protect killers.” She says firmly and Sapphire looked at her like her face streaming sunshine.

“I know.” Sapphire grabbed her hand, “You saved my life.”

Ruby’s mouth fell open and she stays perfectly still for a moment. “I don’t remember that.”  
  


“I know.” Sapphire leans forward and Ruby nearly bursts when she presses another kiss to her cheek, “You let us out of that limousine and said none of this was right. You saved my life, I wanted to see you again.”  
  
Ruby’s eyes were wide, “Really?”  
  
Sapphire nods and she was smiling again, the broad one where she could see the slight gap in two front teeth, “Plus,” She says tentatively, “I thought you were attractive.” She says bluntly.

Ruby flushes deeply and doesn’t know what to make about this. “I’m really happy I could help. Honest. You’re like…” She tries to find the words, “Awesome.” She cringes to herself.

Sapphire laughs lightly, “Don’t thank me. I was just trying to figure out how to talk to you again. And only came up with hot sauce.”  
  
Ruby laughs too and wrinkles her nose, “Me? I’m like, a loser. Anyone would have done what I did.”  
  
Sapphire squeezes her hand“No they wouldn’t!”  
  
Ruby laughs without any humor, “I appreciate you thanking me Sapphire. But I almost got you hurt last week. You don’t have to do all this.” Ruby looks down sadly at their hands and then let’s go, she goes to stand up. “I think… I do hear what you’re saying but, you um, deserve better.”  
  


“I like you.” Sapphire says in one breath and Ruby shakes her head.

Ruby stood up fully and Sapphire looks in every which direction as if looking for something. Ruby bites her lip before crossing the room. “You’re cute.” She says quickly. “And I um, do like you as well.” She goes to open the door and leave.   
  
“WAIT!” Sapphire yells, Ruby stops in place from the sheer forcefulness of the command. Ruby turns and Sapphire seems to panic, she grabs the Cholula bottle and rips off the cap. Before Ruby can move Sapphire tips back her head and gulps the hot orange sauce.

“What are you doing?!” Ruby throws her arms in the air and tears at her hair, “That’s not even halfway smart.” Sapphire’s eyes start watering as she chugs and Ruby rushes over, “You’re insane.”  
  
Sapphire finally lowers the bottle, her eyes streaming and her tongue a bright red as she sniffles, she pants and then finally says in a hoarse voice: “It was the first thing I thought of.”  
  
Ruby laughs and can’t stop laughing, “Oh my God.”  
  
Sapphire rubs at her eyes, “I really, really like you.” She rasped,  I’m serious.”  
  
Ruby raised her eyebrows but was still smiling gently, “You didn’t have to prove it like that.”  
  
“I did!” Sapphire threw her hands up and her face is so serious and earnest Ruby has to grab her by the arms. “You didn’t believe me.”  
  
Ruby can’t help it, she draws closer. “Well then..”

She pulls her into a sweeping kiss, bending her back slightly and holding her shoulders. It tasted exactly like a five-alarm chili and entire boil of hot peppers.

Ruby’s eyes start watering as her own mouth begins to burn, but she kisses her harder and it’s better than she thought it could be.

They pull away panting and laughing as they both wipe at their running noses and eyes, Ruby picks her up and spins her around, “That was ridiculous.”   
  
Sapphire throws her hands in the air as she spins her, “Well you are a perfect.”  
  
Ruby kisses her collarbone and then her neck, “You are a princess.”  
  
Sapphire blushes and pushes Ruby’s face away, “Okay, well that’s embarrassing.”  
  
Ruby shakes her head and they kiss again, this one crossing the line into ‘searing.’ They part and hold their burning mouths.

“Come on,” Sapphire grabs her hand, “I have a gallon of milk I need to drink.”  
  
Ruby can’t stop smiling and they dance in the middle of the kitchen and it feels like the best burn she ever experienced.

The next day Teddy gives her extra eggs and she sits in the corner booth with a hot sauce already on the table and Sapphire across from her.


End file.
